Polished rod pumper jack



' June 13, 1944. T. T. THIGPEN POLISHED ROD PUMPER JACK Filed Jan. 28,. 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 13, 1944. 1', THlGPEN 2,351,576

POLISHED ROD PUMPER JACK Filed Jan. 28, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.1X

lnvzni'orz Thzlm a T. Thiqpen Patented June 13, 1944 UNITED STAT-es PATENT OFFICE Thelma? T. Thigpen, near Sandoval, Ill., assignor to Shell Development Company, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application January'28, 1943, Serial No. 474,059 17. cla ms. (01. 102-205) The present invention is concerned with the pumping of wells with'r'eciprocating pumps, and pertains more particularly to methods and apparatus for jarring the valves in said pumps when the operation thereof is hindered by accumulations' of sand and other detritus.

Reciprocating well pumps usually comprise travelling and stationary valves; The'travelling valve is actuated by means of a reciprocating sucker rod string extending from the pump to the surface of thewell. The upper portion-of the sucker rod string is generally a specialpolished rod adapted to pass through a stufiing box in the well head. Securely affixed to this polished rod above the stufiing box is a clamp or other suitable stop means, which rests on the upper face of a crosshead or carrier bar slidably surrounding the polished rod. The polished rod and the sucker rods are thus supported on the cross:

head, which is in turn attached to a walking beam, wherebya vertical reciprocating motion is imparted to the suckerrod string.

When accumulations of sand and other mate rials hinder the operation of the reciprocating pump, particularly the valves therein, or form sand bridges in the pump or in the well adjacent the pump, it has been the custom to jar 'or bump the travelling valve against the stationary or standing valve. This knocking or bumping action tends to jar loose the accumulations Within the pump or well immediately in the vicinity of the pump, and the procedure frequently obviates the necessity of completely removing the sucker rod string and the pump from the well for cleaning and adjustment.

Heretofore it has been the practice to carry out this jarring or bumping procedure in the following manner. The pumping unit is stopped near the middle of a downstroke' of the reciprocating crosshead and'polished rod, and a second clamp or other suitable stop means is fastened on the polished rod directly above the stuffing box or uppermost rigid part of the wellhead. The pumping unit is then permitted to continue its downstroke for several inches, so that the weightv of the rod string is transferred to and supported on the second polished rod clamp when it comes to rest on the stufiing box. The first clampon the polished rod above the crosshead or carrier" on the polished rod above its normal setting, thedistance moved depending onthe spacing between the travelling and standing valves in the pump. The crosshead is advanced by sliding about the polished rod through the remainder of the downstroke and part of the succeeding upstroke until the crosshead contacts the first clamp above it and raises the sucker rod string several inches, thus freeing the lower clamp of its load. The lower clamp is then removed and the rod string due to the shift in the position of the upper supporting clamp, is in a loweredposition at which the pump valves will jar together orbump at the end of each downward stroke when the pumping or reciprocating motion of the crosshead is resumed.

After the valves have been jarred or bumped sufliciently to clear the obstruction, the sucker rod string is returned to normal pumping position by again stopping the pumping unit and performing the operations described above in such a manner as to re-insert the upper spacer means between'the crosshead and the clamp.

It may thus be seen that in this method considerable time'is consumed by stopping and starting the pumping unit andby repeatedly fastening and unfastening the polished rod clamps.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for carrying out said method of jarring valves of a.

reciprocating pump without having to stop the reciprocating motion of the pumping unit to change the position of the polished rod clamps, whereby a considerable saving in time is obtained.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for quickly lowering a short distance the point of support of the polished rod or rod string on the reciprocating:

crosshead without stopping the reciprocation of the crosshead. f It is a further object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive apparatusfor car rying out the foregoing objects.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction,

operation and arrangement of parts, examples of pleting the first step in the present method of lowering the rod string a short distance into the well.

Figure III is a similar elevation showing the arrangement of the surface equipment after the second step of the present method.

Figure IV is a similar elevation showing the arrangement of the surface equipment after the third step of the present method.

Figure V is a cross-section taken along the line VV of Figure I.

Figure VI is a crosssection taken along the line VI-VI of Figure II.

Figure VII is an elevation of another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure VIII is a cross-section taken along the line VIIIVIII in Figure VII.

Figure IX is a cross-section taken along the line IX-IX in Figure VII.

Broadly, the present invention comprises pro.- viding removable spacer means between the reciprocating crosshead and the stop means, e. g. clamp, on the polished rod during normal pumping of the well. When it is desired to jar or bump the valves of the well pump, second spacer means are interposed between the stufiing box or uppermost part of the wellhead and a second and lower clamp or stop means on the polished rod during a downstroke of the crosshead, whereby the weight of the rod string is transferredfrom the upper clamp to the lower clamp, thereby allowing the upper spacer means to be removed. On the succeeding upstroke of the reciprocating member, the polished rod is moved upward by the lifting action of the crosshead on the upper clamp, allowing the removal of the lower supporting spacer means, whereby the polished rod and rod string attached thereto are reciprocated at a lower level in the well and the valve means in the pump are bumped or paired together,-loosening accumulations of sand and other detritus.

Referring to Figures I to VI of the drawings, a preferred embodiment of an apparatus for carrying out the method of the present inVention'iS described in more detail.

Pivotally supported on a Samson post I is the usual walking beam 2, which is actuated by suitable prime mover means (not shown). Supported for substantially vertical reciprocating motion from a mulehead 3 on one end of the walking beam 2 by means of bails 4 is a .crosshead or carrier bar I0, which in the usual manner fits slidably about the polished rod l l. The polished rod ll passes through a stufiing box l2 or the like on the wellhead l3 and forms the upper end of the sucker rod string which actuates the traveling valve means in the well pump near the 'bottom of the well.

Stop means, such as a clamp I5 is securely or permanently attached or bolted to the upper portion of the polished rod ll above the carrier bar In. During normal pumping operations there is interposed between the carrier bar In and the clamp l5 suitable spacer means 20. According to the embodiment shown in Figures I to VI, the spacer means may comprise a plurality of flat U-shaped sections 20a suitably held together to form a slotted unit by meansof a vertical plate 2] fastened or screwed along a vertical side of the U-shaped sections 2011. As an example, the u-shaped sections 20a may be about one inch thick, and any desired number of such sections may be fastened together to form the spacing member generally designated as .20, depending upon the spacing between the traveling and St?!- tionary valves in the reciprocating well pump at the bottom of the downstroke of the pump. For example, with a pump valve spacing of .10 inches, the spacing unit may be made up of one-inch U-shaped sections. The sectionalized spacing member positioned with the polished rod ll passing through the vertical slot 22 may be piv- Qtably attached to the upper face of the crosshead ill) by means of horizontal ears 23 projecting from the lower edge of the plate 2|, an upwardly-projecting nib 24 on said carrier bar [0, and a pivot pin 25 passing through said ears 23 and nib 14., as shown most clearly in Figure V.

It is to be understoqd that the spacer means of Y ,thedesiredthickness may be formed of one piece .Q material. if desired, when, for example, pump valve spacings in a particular field have been standardized.

ecurely or permanently fastened to the polished rod ll below the carrier bar In and above they end ,of -;the --;wellhead 13 in such a position that it touches ornearly touches the stufling box l2 at each downward stroke, is a second or lower uitab e to means, suc a a clamp 3 At t sired -me s itable lower spacer means are inserted between the clamp 3-0 and the stuffing box l-Z, According-tome embodiment shown in Figres .11 II an VI the er s a e m a s m y comprise a pair'of 'Spacingmembers 31a and 3112, which are pivotably connected, for example, by means of a hinge 32, The mating vertical faces of s id memb r 31a nd 131.1: are pref rably formed with grooves 33 adapted to fit about the lis e rod 1 1 a -I 1 i ure VI. T members 31 and 3I b;,may a lsobe provided with handles 35 for the purpose of closing the hinged members 319 and 3Ib about the polished rod II. Thespacingrnembers 3 la and -3l b are preferably formed a of sections substantially one-inch in thickness and held together in a unit by connection .to the hinge 32, any desired number of sections being used together depending on the spacing of the pump valves. If desired, however, each member an and 3H2 may be formed of a single piece.

. Referring to Figures VII to IX, another embodime'nt of the apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention comprises two identical units of upper and lower stop means and spacer means. The stop means may, for example, comprise clamps 4Uformed of a pair .of vertically grooved blocks 40a and 40b clamped about the polished rod H by means of bolts 4| passing through both blocks 40 and held by nuts 42 as shown most clearly in Figure IX. Each spacer means comprises a sectionalized Ushaped member composed of sections 50a similar to sections 20a in the first-described embodiment. The sections 50a are held together by a plate 5| fastened along a vertical face of the U-shaped sectionsilla. A pair of parallel varcuate arms 53 are rigidly fastened at one end to the plate 5] by means of bolts 52 and are pivotably attached by means of pins 54 respectively to a pair of plates 55, .which may be part of a unitary structure having afiat base 56 fastened to, a clamp 40 as shownin Figure IX. Cross rods 58 and 59, or suitable braces, respectively between the arcuate arms 53 and the plates and a coil spring under tension, or'other suitable resilient means, fastened at each end to said cross rods 58 and 59 are so arranged that the spacing member 50 is on a snap-action pivoted arm. In other words, the spring 60 is under minimum tension at each end of the swing of the arcuate arms 53, whereby the spacing member carried by said arms 53 will remain, due to the action of the spring 60, either in position directly underneath the clamp 40 as shown in dotted lines in Figure VII, or in a position out to one side of and above the clamp 40, as shown in solid lines in Figure VII.

The method of the present invention will be described in relation to the first-described embodiment, namely that shown in Figures I to VI, for purposes of illustration. However, it will be readilyv seen that other apparatus than this, for example, such as the second-described embodiment shown in Figures VII to IX may be used. The upper sectionalized spacing member 20 is positioned between the upper clamp j l5 and the carrier bar l during normal pumping operations, as shown in Figure I. When it is desired to bump the valves in the pump for loosening obstructions of sand and other detritus, the lower spacing members Ma and 311) are broughttogether around the polished rod I I below the lower clamp 3ll'during the first portion of a downstroke of the reciprocating crosshead ID, as shown in Figure II. During the latter portion of the downstroke, the polished rod is prevented, by the wedging action of the spacer 3|, from reaching its lowermost position, and the weight of the sucker rod string attached to the polished rod is transferred from the upper clamp l and the carrier bar in to the lower clamp 30 and the stuffing box I2 of the wellhead l3, whereupon the crosshead l0 slides downward along the polished rod ll away from the upper clamp I5 and the upper U-shaped spacing member 20 may thus be pivotally swung out of the way to one side of the carrier bar II], as shown in Figure III. During the succeeding upstrokeof the reciprocating carrier bar In, the carrier bar l0 contacts the upper clamp l5 directly, and again raises the polished rod II and rod string. The weight of the rod string is thus no longer supported by the lower clamp 30, the spacer members 3111 and an), and the stuffing box I2,so that the spacer members 3 I* and 3| can be removed. Thereafter, the polished rod II and rod string is reciprocated at a level in the well which is lower'than the normal by the weight of the spacer ill and the valves of thewell pump are bumped or knocked together. i

To resume normal pumping operations after a desired period of bumping the pump valves, the lower spacing members 3Ia and 3|b are again positioned about the polished rod H during the first portion ofa downstroke of the reciprocating carrier bar l0. During the latter portion of the downstroke when the polished rod H and rod string are supported by the lower clamp 30, hinged spacing members Bid and 3H), and the stuffing box l2, the upper U-shaped spacing member 20 is pivotably swung back into place between the upper clamp l5 and the carrier bar In. During the following upstroke, the carrier bar l0 picks up the load of the polished rod II and rod string, allowing the lower spacing members Ma and 31b to be removed, whereby the well is re turned to normal pumping operation.

' It will be'readily apparent that the above-described embodimei'its of the present invention may undergo various 'modifications and changes without departing-from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

I. An apparatus for placing'a well pumping system in position for jarring-the valves in the pump at the lower portion of the well without stopping the pump-actuating reciprocating means, said well pumping system comprising a deep well pump actuated by a sucker rod string extending above the wellhead, a vertically reciprocating crosshead member slidably surrounding the upper end of said string, and an upper stop member securely attached to said upper end above said crosshead member, said string being supported and reciprocated in the well by the abutting engagement between the upper face of said crosshead member and the lower face of said stop member, said apparatus comprising a lower stop member permanently attached to the sucker rod string below said upper stop member and said crosshead, the position of said lower stop member being adjusted for relatively close vertical clearance withthe wellhead when the rod string is at the end of its downward stroke, first spacer means removably insertable between the crosshead member and the upper stop member, said spacer means being normally carried therebetween during pumping, and second spacer means adapted to be inserted between thewellhead and the lower stop member during a downward stroke to stop the downward motion of the sucker rod string before the end of said stroke, whereby the crosshead member is caused to continue its downward motion by sliding along the string away from the upper stop member, and said upper spacing member is .freed for removal from engagement between the crosshead and the upper stop member. 7

2. An apparatus for placing a well pumping system in position for jarring the valves in the pump at the lower portion of the well without stopping the pump-actuating reciprocating means, said well pumping system comprising a deep well pump actuated by a sucker rod string extending above the wellhead, a vertically reciprocating crosshead member slidably surrounding the upper end of said string, and an upper stop member securely attached to said upper end above said crosshead member, said string being supported and reciprocated in the well by the abutting engagement between the upper face of said crosshead member and the lower face of said stop member, said apparatus comprising a lower stop member permanently attached to the sucker rod string below said upper stop member and said crosshead, the position of said lower stop member being adjusted for relatively close vertical clearance with the wellhead when the rod string is at the end of its downward stroke, first spacer means removably insertable between the crosshead member, and the upper stop member, said spacer means having a vertical length substantially equal to, the distance between the traveling and stationary valves in the deep well pump, said spacer means being normally carried therebetween during pumping, and second spacer means adapted to be inserted between the wellhead and the lower stop member during a downward stroke to stop the downward motion of the sucker rod string before the end of said stroke, whereby the crosshead member is caused to continue its downward motion b sliding along the string away from the upper stop member, and said upper spacing member is freed for removal from engagement between the crosshead and the upper stop member.

3. An apparatus for placing a well pumping system in position for jarring the valves in the pump at the lower portion of the well without stopping the pump-actuating reciprocating means, said well pumping system comprising: a deep well pump actuated'bya-sucker rod string extending above the wellhead, a-yertically reciprocating crosshead'member slidably surrounding being adjusted for relatively close. vertical cleari;

ance with the wellhead when the rod string is at the end of its downward stroke,.first spacer means removably insertable between the crosshead member and the .upper stop member, said first spacer means comprising a vertically-slotted member adapted to fit around said rod string, said spacer means being normally carried therebetween duringv pumping, and second spacer means adapted to be inserted between thewellhead and the lower stop member during a downward stroke to stop the downward motion of the sucker rod string before the end of said stroke, whereby the crosshead member is caused to continue its downward motion by sliding along the string awa from the upper stop member, and said upper spacing member is freed for removal from engagement between the'crosshead and the upper stop member. 7

4. For use in combinationwith a well pumping apparatus including a vertically reciprocating prime-mover'member and a polished rod extending through the wellhead and attached to the upper end of a sucker rod string actuating a deep well pump, said polished rod having a stop member, an adjusting system for placing said wellpumping apparatus in position for jarring the valves of said pump without stopping thereciprocation of said prime-mover member comprising a crosshead member attached to the reciprocating member, said crosshead member slidingl fitting around the polished rod below said stop member, an arcuate spacer member resting on said crosshead member, the concave vertical side of said spacer member normally surrounding said polished red, the lower horizontal face of said spacer member normally being in contact with the upper face of said crosshead member, the upper horizontal face of said spacer member normally being in contact with the lower face of said stop member, whereby. the weight of said sucker rod string is transmitted from said stop member through said spacer member to said crosshead member, and hinge means respectively connected to said crosshead member and to said spacer member whereby said spacer member may be pivoted out of contact with said stop member.

5. For use in combination with awell pumping apparatus including a vertically reciprocating prime-mover member and a polished rod extending through the wellhead and attached to the upper end of a sucker rod string actuating a deep well pump, said polished rod having an upper stop member and a lower stop member adapted to take up the weight of the sucker rod string, an adjusting system for placing said well-pumping apparatus in position for jarring the valves of said pump without stopping the reciprocation of said prime-mover member comprising a crosshead member attached to the reciprocating member, said crosshead member slidingly fitting around the polished rod between the upper andthe lower stop members, an arcuate spacer memberresting on said crosshead member, theconcave vertical side of said spacer member normally surrounding said polished rod, the lower horizontal face of said spacer member normally being in contact with the upper-face of said crosshead member, the upper horizontal face of said spacer member normally being in contact with the lower face of said upper stop member, whereby the weight of said sucker rod stringis transmitted from said upper stop member through said spacer member to said crosshead member, hinge meansrespectively connected to said crosshead member and to said spacer member whereby said spacer member may be pivoted out of contact with said upper stop member, anda support: adapted to be inserted between the lowerstop member and the wellhead when it is desired to pivot said spacer member out of contact between theupper stop member'and the reciprocating member.

6. In a system according to claim 1, wherein said spacer means comprise vertically-slotted members adapted to fit-around said rod string, said members being formed of aplurality of flat horizontal sections fastened together.

'7. In a system according to claim 1, wherein said spacer means comprise vertically-slotted members adapted to fit around said rodstring, said members being formed of .a plurality of flat horizontal sections of about one inch thickness fastened together. i

8. In a system accordingto claim 1, wherein said first and second spacer means comprise vertically-slotted members pivotably attached to said upper and lower stop members, respectively, and adapted to be swung into operative position around said rod string below the respective stop members Y 9. In a system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second spacerv means comprise vertically-slotted members pivotably attached to said upper and lowergstop members, respectively, and adapted to be swung into operative position around said rod string below the respective stop members and resilient means adapted to tend to hold said slotted members in operative and inoperative position.

10. In a system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second spacer means comprise vertically-slotted members pivot-ably attached to said upper and lower stop members, respectively, and adapted to be swung-into operative position around said rod string belowthe .respective stop members and over-center resilient means associated with each of said slotted members adapted to snap said members into operative and inoperative position. i V.

11. In a system according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second spacer means comprise a pair of vertically-grooved members adapted to be brought together'with the grooves fitting slidably around said rod string.

12. In a system according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second spacer means comprise a pair of pivotably-connected members having vertically-grooved matching faces adapted to be brought together with the grooves fitting slidably around said rod string. v

13. In a system according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second spacer means comprise a pair of pivotably-connected members having vertically grooved' matching faces adapted to be brought together with the grooves fitting slidably around said rod string and opera ating handles projecting laterally from said members.

14. In a systemaccording to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second spacer means comprise a pair of pivotably-connected members having vertically-grooved matching faces adapted to be brought together with the grooves fitting slidably around said rod string and resilient means normally tending to hold together the grooved faces of said members.

15. In a method of jarring the valves of a deep well pump actuated from above the wellhead by a sucker rod string without stopping the motion of the vertically reciprocating member which supports and periodically lifts the sucker rod string by applying an upward force to the upper end thereof, the steps of normally reciprocating the rod string by means of said reciprocating member while maintaining a predetermined adjustable vertical spacing between said reciprocating member and the end of the string, shifting the weight of said string from said reciprocating member to the wellhead by temporarily inserting a support between said strin and the wellhead during a downward stroke, varying at this time the spacing between the reciprocating member and the upper end of the string in such a manner as to extend the total length of the string below the reciprocating member, allowing the weight of the string to be shifted again to the reciprocating member during the next upstroke, withdrawing at this time the support between the string and the wellhead, and thereafter reciprocating said extended string in the well, thereby jarring said valves.

16. In a method of jarring the valves of a well pump actuated by a rod string without stopping the motion of the reciprocating member which periodically lifts the rod string by exerting an upward force on stop means at the upper end of the rod string, the steps of normally reciprocating the rod string with the reciprocating member maintained at a predetermined adjustable vertical spacing with regard to the stop means on the upper end of the rod string, temporarily supporting the rod string during a downstroke of the reciprocating member, varying said adjustable spacing to extend the total length of the string below said reciprocating member while the rod string is so supported, and during a succeeding upstroke allowing the rod string to be lifted by the reciprocating member and thereafter discontinuing the temporary support to the rod string, whereby the rod string is subsequently reciprocated at a lower lever, causing the jarring of said valves.

17. In a method of jarring together the stationary and traveling valves of a well pump actuated by a rod string without stopping the motion of the reciprocating member which :periodically lifts the rod string by exerting an upward force on stop means at the upper end of the rod string, the steps of normally reciprocating the rod string with the reciprocating member maintained at an adjustable vertical distance below said stop means substantially equal to the spacing between the stationary and traveling valves in the well pump, temporarily supporting the rod string during a downstroke of the reciprocating member, changing the adjustable spacing between reciprocating member and said stop means while the rod string is so supported, in such a manner as to allow the reciprocating member subsequently to contact the stop means directly and during a succeeding upstroke allowing the rod string to be lifted by the reciprocating member and thereafter discontinuing the temporary support to the rod string, whereby the rod string is subsequently reciprocated at a sufficiently lower level to jar the pump valves against each other.

THELMA T. THIGPEN. 

